The present invention relates to a pipe clamp.
More particularly, the invention provides an improved external clamp for use on pipes, provided with a self-aligning mechanism.
Pipes can be economically clamped or coupled by a metal band clamp. One of the advantages of his type of clamp is that it can be assembled to a pipeline even where no access is available to the pipe end. The present inventors have received patents for various types of band clamp, and production of said clamps has been commercially successful.
The clamp in the prior, art is substantially wedge shaped with rounded corners. In order to clamp correctly the two extremities or lips of the clamp need to be in line contact, and not one beneath the other. This simple-sounding requirement has however proved to be surprisingly difficult to achieve in practice. No relevant prior art was found.
In the course of engineering research carried out by the inventors several configurations were tested. An example of an unsatisfactory design which was tested is seen in FIG. 1, showing one of a plurality of rivet-shaped locator pins arranged to enter corresponding recesses. On test it was found that the components were too small to correct the degree of misalignment often found in this type of clamp, and so did not achieve the desired lip alignment. The results did however indicate that a larger locating device as disclosed in the present patent application might be, and was successful.